Venetian blinds with adjustable spacing slats



ri-bdzz m Jan. 8, 1957 P. H. LONG 2,776,708

VENETIAN BLINDS WITH ADJUSTABLE SPACING SLATS 3 Sheets-$heet 1 Filed March 5, 1954 INVENTOR. PH//P LONG:

BY WMIMM Jan. 8, 1957 P. H. LQNG 2,776,708

VENETIAN BLINDS WITH ADJUSTABLE SPACING SLATS Filed March 5 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. PH/ /P H. LONG Jan. 8, 1957 P. H. LONG 2,776,708

'VENETIAN BLINDS WITH ADJUSTABLE SPACING SLATS Filed March 5, 1954 s sheets-sheet s INVENTOR. P/l/L/P A. zo/v BY W M z; W

A r TOQA/'I J United States Patent VENETIAN BLINDS WITH ADJUSTABLE SPACING SLATS Philip H. Long, Bellevue, -Wash.

Application March 5, 1954,-Serial No. 414,408

12 Claims. (Cl. 1 60169) In the Venetian blind of the present invention the spacing "of the slats may be adjusted, as well as the 'posi- 'tion to which the slats are tilted.

In the conventional Venetian blind the slats either are supported at intervals spaced apart a fixed distance, or they are disposed in face-to-face contact. "The usual Venetian blind is suspended from the top, and the slats either are supported by strips of webbingor by a lower strip. This lower strip is suspended by cords from the Venetian blind top. If the cords are shortened, the lower strip is moved upward, and during suchrnovernent inturn simultaneously between all the slats. in :thewindow opening to the same degree and :by small increments.

Separate from adjusting the spacing between Venetian blind slats, it is an object to enable the 'tilted positions f all-the slats in a window'opening to be altered simultaneously and to the 'same extent comparable to the tilt adjustment of Venetian blind slats possible in the usual Venetian blind.

It is also an object to enable all the Venetian blind slats "to be retracted out of the window opening when 'desired, as is possible with conventional Venetian 'blinds.

The mechanism for :a Venetian blind structure capable of accomplishing the foregoing objects may include a framework to beset into a :window opening and having a skit storage chamber at its upper side into which all the Venetian blind slats maybe moved. Side compartments of such framework house helical springs the convolutions of which constitute slat supporting elements, so that-as the pitch of the spring convolutions alongside the framework opening is varied, the spacing of the slats will be adjusted correspondingly. -In addition, the slats are mounted on the spring convolutions for tilting relative to them, and are interconnected for conjoint tilting to equal degrees.

Figure 1 isa top perspective view of a Venetian blind incorporating the present invention, parts of which have "been broken away.

Figure 2 is a face elevation view of the Venetian blind structure with parts brokenaway, and Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure2.

Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7 are diagrammatic vertical sectional views taken perpendicular to the view of Figure 2 and showing the Venetian blind slats in various adjusted .positions.

Theadjustability of conventional Venetianblindsmakes their use much more versatile to control admission of sunlight to aroo'm than the conventional roll type of shade. Such Venetian blinds, -however, have only four basic types of adjustment. All the slats may be moved into a stored position at the top of the window as one type of adjustment. In the second type of adjustment some or all of the slats may be lowered 'into the window space with the slats disposed substantially in horizontal planes. In this case the spaced slats will all be spaced apart equal intervals, but some of the lower slats may be supported in stacked face-to-face relationship if the slats are not distributed entirely to the bottom of the window opening. Slats may be tiltedconjoin'tl-y 'into'outwardly and downwardly inclined positions, and such inclination of all of the slats maybe varied simultaneously, as a third adjustment. Also, as a fourth adjustment, slats may be tilted simultaneously into upward and outwardinclinedpositions, andthe degree of such inclination may be varied.

These adjustments of which the slats of acon'ventional Venetian blind are capable usually are well suited to control the admission of lightto a room irrespective of theside of a building on which the window opening may be, and also irrespective of the position of the sun in the sky. if the sun is rather'low in the sky, the slats distributed equally'from top to bottom of the window opening maybe inclined downwardly and outwardly to me vent the suns rays from passing between the Venetian blind slats, because of their overlapping projections transversely of 'the suns rays when thus tilted. While this type of adjustment will prevent the suns rays from enteringthe room, however, it will also obstruct the view of one inside the building looking outward, except ina downward direction, and then only from a position close to the window opening.

Frequently buildings with western or southwestern exposuresrhave excellent views, and such view property in many localities is very valuable, because of the 'view. Nevertheless, in the late afternoonand earlyevening, de-

pending upon theseason of the year, as the sun descends in the sky it would be necessary to tilt the slats of 'the conventional Venetian blind outward'and downward to .prevent the direct rays of the sun from 'shining uncomfortably into the room. Usually, however, this is the time 'of day whenoccupants of the building would be most inclined to want to enjoy the View. This istnade possible by use of a Venetian blind of the present construction by reducing the spacing between the slats of the Venetian blind without appreciably or at allch'anging the tilt of "the slats. Nevertheless, the Venetian blind slats are also adjustable to positions like those of the conventional Venetian blind when that is desired.

To illustrate the types of adjustment of which the slatsof the present Venetian blind are capable, reference ismade to the illustrations of Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7. In Figure 4 the slats S are distributed equally between the top T and the bottom B of the casing, yet they are sutficiently close together that the rays R of the sun quite low in the sky cannot penetrate between the slats. A good horizontal view outward in the direction indicated by the arrows V is therefore still possible without the discomfort of facingthe direct rays of the sun or being subjected to the direct heat of them. Of course, the-edges of the Venetian blind slats interfere to some extent with the view so that when the sun is higher in the sky and projects rays R as illustrated in Figure 5, the Venetian On the other hand, as the sun :sinks lower such as :to-a

position to project its rays R at the angle indicated in Figure 7, it may be necessary to tilt the slats S into a downwardly and outwardly inclined position as shown in that figure to obstruct their entrance through the window space. Of course, the wider the slats are made, as well as the closer they are placed togethe r,the better will they be able to obstruct the rays of the sun when low in the sky while still remaining horizontal. There is a practical limit, however, to the width of the Venetian blind slats, and such increase in Width has a decreasing elfect as the width is increased. Nevertheless, it is desirable for the width of the slats S used in the present Venetian blind to be somewhat greater than those used in conventional Venetian blinds.

To accomplish the variation in slat spacing as illustrated by Figures 4 and 5, the mechanism shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 may be used. As shown in Figure l, the slats S can be arranged to extend across the window opening defined by the frame having hollow marginal members. The top member T serves as a storage compartment for the slats and is large enough to receive all the slats in face-to-face stacked relationship. In the bottom hollow member B of the frame is received the operating mechanism for coordinating the adjustment of the slats supporting mechanism which is received in the hollow upright portions U at each side of the frame.

The adjustable slat supporting mechanism includes principally a spiral spring 1 received within each of the upright frame portions U. Over each convolution of this spring fits a lug grooved to receive the spring convolution and pivotally mounted on the end of a slat S. Such pivot mounting enables the lug to adjust itself automatically as the slope of its spring convolution varies, without tilting of the Venetian blind slat on which it is mounted, or, conversely, enables such slat to be tilted freely without turning the lug 10. Such a spring convolution engaging lug is carried by each end of each slat, and one of such lugs is engaged with each spring convolution to space the slats apart distances equal to the pitch of the springs 1.

Notches 11 are provided in opposite edges of each slat near its end, which fit over flanges 12 on the inner sides of the upright frame members U. Such notches may be of a size to enable a reasonable amount of lengthwise movement of the slats S, but will prevent the slats from moving lengthwise very much. Such engagement of the slat notches with the flanges 12, however, will not interfere either with tilting of the slats or movement of the slats upward into stored position within the upper frame portion T. As shown in Figure l, the opening in the bottom of this frame portion is of a width somewhat in excess of the width of the slats so that they may be moved upward into the storage compartment while disposed horizontally. Since the thickness of the top, bottom and upright frame members preferably are all the same, they should be slightly wider than the slats S.

Because each of the slats S is supported by the pivoted lugs 10 at its opposite ends which are engaged respectively with convolutions of the springs 1, the spacing between adjacent slats can be altered by varying the pitch of the springs. Moreover, the slats can be retracted into stored condition within the upper frame member T by collapsing the springs to a length equal to the vertical height of such frame pait. It is desirable to be able thus to change the pitch of the spring portions extending through the upright frame members U and to collapse the springs into the upper positions mentioned by manipulation of controls exposed on the outside of the Venetian blind frame.

The control mechanism directly engageable with the convolutions of the springs 1 includes radial fingers 2, one engageable with each of the springs, and secured respectively to upright rods 20 at locations substantially aligned with the bottom of the upper frame member T. The rods 20 are journaled for rotation in upper bearings 21 and lower brackets 22, the latter being a short distance above the upper side of the bottom frame part B. Immediately beneath its bracket each rod 20 carries a sprocket 23 and such sprockets at opposite sides of the Venetian blind frame are interconnected by the chain 24 to coordinate rotation of the rods.

On one of the rods 20 beneath its sprocket 23, for example the left rod shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, a bevel gear 25 is secured which meshes with a bevel gear 26 secured to a shaft 27 extending perpendicular to the Venetian blind frame. One end of this shaft extends through the inner wall of the bottom frame part B and has mounted on it a crank handle 28. Rotation of this handle will turn shaft 27 and bevel gear 26, which in turn rotates the bevel gear 25. The turning of rod 20 will swing the spring controlling finger 2 on the rod carrying gear 25, and the chain 24 encircling sprockets 23 will transmit a corresponding rotation to the rod 20 at the other side of the Venetian blind frame, and its finger 2.

The lowermost convolution of the spring 1 is secured to a plate 13 apertured to slide vertically on rod 20. Cables 14 passing around pulleys 15 are connected to opposite sides of one of the plates 13, and cables 16 are connected to opposite sides of the other plate 13. The cables 14 and 16 at each side of the frame are wound around a drum 17, preferably located remote from shaft 27. A crank handle 18 alongside the inner surface of the bottom frame member B is rotatively connected to both drums 17. One of these drums may be held in any of various rotated positions by suitable latch mechanism actuated by thev latch button 19 slidable in a slot in the window frame to lock both drums. Such latch may, for example, as shown in Figure 3, have a finger movable into the path of one of the pins projecting from a drum.

Assuming that finger 2 of each rod 20 is engaged between the convolution of its spring secured to a plate 13 and the spring convolution next above it, the springs would be in collapsed condition at opposite ends of the upper portion T of the Venetian blind frame, and all of the slats S would be stacked in face-to-face relationship within the storage chamber formed by the upper frame member. If crank handle 28 is now turned, the gears 26 and 25 and the sprockets 23 and chain 24 would all be moved to turn rods 20 and fingers 2 in synchronism. Since the springs 1 are held against rotation by the mounting of both ends, the fingers 2 will pass between the convolutions, and, as each revolution of rods 20 is completed, each finger will have released one spring convolution enabling it and the Venetian blind slat associated with it to move downward below the upper member of the Venetain blind frame.

As the rods 20 continue to be turned by rotation of the crank handle 28, more and more slats will move from the storage space down into the Venetian blind frame opening. The weight of the slats and their associated parts will tend to spread apart somewhat the convolutions of the springs 1 because they are quite limber, but such spreading of the convolutions will not be very great because the slats are light. When a reasonable number of slats has been released from the storage compartment into the frame opening, therefore, latch 19 will be released and crank handle 18 will be turned in a direction to wind cables 14 and 16 on the drum 17. The downward force produced by these cables on the plates 13 to which they are anchored will stretch the portions of springs 1 below fingers 2, and if a sufficient length of each spring 1 has been released by its finger 2, the plate 13 at each side of the window frame may be pulled downward until it engages the rod supporting bracket 22 in each instance.

As the springs 1 are thus stretched, increasing their pitch, the Venetian blind slats S will move downward across the frame opening, and their spacing will increase corresponding to the spacing between the spring convolutions. When the plates 13 have thus been moved to their lowermost position, the latch 19 may again be engaged with the drum 17 to hold the plates 13 in such position, so that the slats will be distributed equally across the entire opening. If it is desired to locate the slats at their maximum spacing, crank handle 28 will be turned in the opposite direction so that the fingers 2 will turn in a direction to raise additional portions of the springs 1. When turning of the handle becomes excessively difficult, the slats will have reached their position of maximum spacing corresponding, for example, to their positions illustrated diagrammatically in Figure 5. The maximum limit of slat spacing thus is determined by the limiting pitch of springs I. produced by eifort applied to the handle 26 in overcoming the tension of the portion of these springs between fingers 20 and plates 13.

To reduce the spacing between the slats S such as from the spacing shown in Figure to that of Figure 4, the handle 23 is rotated in slat lowering direction. As the fingers 2 are thus turned, additional convolutions of springs 1 and their associated slats will be moved downward below the bottom of the upper frame member T. During such rotation of fingers 2, the tension in the portions of springs 1 below the fingers will be equalized continually, and consequently the spacing of all of the slats within the frame opening will be equalized correspondingly. The spacing between all of the slats will therefore be reduced progressively until the fingers 2 'have Withdrawn as much of the springs as possible from the portion of the frame above them.

If the Venetian blind slats S at their minimum spacing are still unable to obstruct the rays of the sun when very low in the sky, such as the condition represented by Figure 7, all the slats may be tilted simultaneously into an outward and downward inclined attitude. To enable all the slats to be tilted thus simultaneously, the opposite edges of all the slats are interconnected by elastic tapes 3, which may be secured at equal intervals to the several slats, such as by staples 30. Since these tapes are of elastic material, their .portions interconnecting the slats in the frame opening will remain reasonably taut when the slats are spaced apart minimum distances, while at the same time being able to stretch to enable the slats to be spaced apart their maximum distances. Actually, the tape may be selected and secured at proper locations to the slats so that the tape in its maximum stretched condition will establish the limiting maximum spacing between the slats instead of relying wholly on the tension of springs 1 for this purpose.

While a tilting control of some type may be provide to tilt the slats into a position such as shown in Figure 7, such tilting can be effected easily simply by grasping one of the slats and tilting it. The stress thus exerted on the tapes 3 will cause them to effect corresponding tilting of the other slats to equalize the tensions in all of the tapes. Since by such tilting no restoring force is produced, the slats will remain in the position to which they are tilted until the tilt again is adjusted manually. Such tilting action will not interfere with the slats being moved vertically, or so -e of them being moved into the storage compartment in the upper part of the Venetian blind frame. Engagement of the uppermost slat with the interior of the storage compartment may tilt it and successive slats moved into it toward horizontal position. Such tilting, however, would be effected solely by contact of the uppermost slat with the upper wall of the storage chamber and contact of the next slat with such slat because the slats will be so close together that the tapes 3 simply will be disposed in folds as shown in the upper portion of Figure 1, and will not exert a force tending to tilt the slats when in the storage compartment.

In order to store all the slats again in the storage compartment formed by the upper member T of the Venetian blind frame, the latch 19 will be released, and the crank handle 18 will be turned to slacken the cables 14 and 16 or mays'imply be freed so that these cables canbe reeled out when they 'are tensioned. Crank handle -28 will then be rotated to turn fingers 2 in directions to raise the convolutions of the springs 1 beneath them. These fingers, it will be noted, may be rotated in the same direction, and the convolutions of springs 1 may be in the samesense. 'As shown in Figure 2, however, the fingers 2 are disposed one hundred eighty degrees out of phase, so that both of them will pass beneath the lugs 10 at opposite ends of the same Venetian blind slat at the same time. This operation is continued until the fingers again reach the bottom spring convolutions anchored to plates 13, by which time all of the slats will have been moved into the storage compartment. Cables 14 and 16 will have been reeled outward during upward movement of plates 13 as may be necessary to enable them to be raised substantially to the bottom of the storage compartment.

1 claim as my invention:

1. A Venetian blind comprising two spaced spiral springs disposed with their axes substantially vertical, slats extending in generally horizontal relationship between said springs, supporting means supporting opposite ends of each slat from corresponding convolutions of said springs, convolution separating members interposed between corresponding convolutions of said springs, 'and means operable to effect relative rotation of said springs and said convolution separating members to move spring convolutions and slats supported thereby from one side of said convolution separating members to the other side of said convolution separating members.

2. The Venetian blind defined in claim 1, andanchoring means operable to anchor in fixed position corresponding ends of the springs at one side of the convolution separating members to fix the spacing between said anchoring means and such members, thereby to vary the pitch of the portions of the springs between said anchoring means andthe membersby movement of spring convolutions from one side of the members to the otherside and correspondingly to vary the spacing between the Venetian blind slats disposed between the members and said anchoring means.

3. A Venetian blind comprising two spaced spiral springs disposed with their axes substantially vertical, slats extending in generally horizontal relationship between said springs, supporting means supporting opposite ends of each slat from corresponding convolutions of said springs, rods extending axially through said springs, radial fingers carried by said rods, respectively, and interposed between corresponding convolutions of said springs, and means operable to rotate said two rods conjointly to shift convolutions of said springs with the Venetian blind slats supported thereby from one side of said fingers to the other side.

4. The Venetian blind defined in claim 3, and anchoring means operable to anchor in fixed position corresponding ends of the springs at one side of the fingers to fix the spacing between said anchoring means and such fingers, thereby to vary the pitch of the portions of the springs between said anchoring means and the fingers by movement of spring convolutions from one side of the fingers to the other side and correspondingly to vary the spacing between the Venetian blind slats disposed between the fingers and said anchoring means.

5. The Venetian blind defined in claim 4, in which the anchoring means include plates having apertures in the central portions thereof slidably receiving the rods, respectively.

6. A Venetian blind comprising a frame having hollow marginal members and a slat storage compartment in its upper member, slats movable between stored positions in said storage compartment and positions extending in horizontal relationship across the opening of said frame, slat supporting spiral springs having their axes upright and received, respectively, in the side members of said frame, and means operable to increase the pitch of those portions of said slat supporting springs alongside the opening of said frame simultaneously for increasing simultaneously and equally the spacing between all of the slats extending across the frame opening and to decrease the pitch of those portions of said slat supporting springs alongside said storage compartment for effecting movement of slats into the slat storage compartment.

7. A Venetian blind comprising two resilient convoluted members disposed in spaced, substantially parallel relationship and having their convolutions simultaneously variable in spacing, restraining means restraining corresponding portions of said convoluted members for maintaining the convolutions in such portions much more closely spaced than the spacing of the convolutions in the remainder of each of said convoluted members, slats extending between said convoluted members substantially perpendicular to the general length thereof, supporting means supporting opposite ends of each slat from corresponding convolutions of said convoluted members, and means operable to efiect transfer of convolutions of both of said convoluted members simultaneously from one side of said restraining means to the other, thereby to change the spacing of the convolutions in said remainders of said convoluted members.

8. A Venetian blind comprising two resilient spiral springs disposed in spaced, substantially vertical relationship and having their convolutions simultaneously variable in pitch, restraining means restraining corresponding portions of said springs for maintaining the pitch in such portions much less than the pitch in the remainder of each of said springs, slats extending horizontally between said springs, supporting means supporting opposite ends of each slat from corresponding convolutions of said springs, and means operable to efiect transfer of convolutions of both of said springs simultaneously from one side of said restraining means to the other, thereby to change the pitch in said remainders of said springs.

9. The Venetian blind defined in claim 8, and limiting means operable to limit the increase in pitch in the remainders of the springs and thereby operable to limit the maximum spacing of the slats.

10. The Venetian blind defined in claim 9, in which the limiting means include an elastic tape maintained taut by its elasticity during change in pitch in such remainders of the springs over a substantial range but having a limit of stretch.

11. The Venetian blind defined in claim 10, in which the limiting means includes two elastic tapes, and means securing said tapes at intervals to opposite edges of the slats.

12. A Venetian blind comprising a plurality of slats including a first group of slats spaced equally and relatively widely and a second group of slats in relatively closely spaced relationship, resiliently expansible and contractable slat space equalizing and supporting means for said slats including a relatively expanded first portion supporting the slats of said first group and a relatively contracted second portion supporting the slats of said second group, support control and slat transfer means movable to shift part of said relatively contracted portion of said supporting means, with slats supported thereby, to said relatively expanded portion of said supporting means, thereby increasing the number of slats in said first group, and holding means spaced a definite predetermined distance from said support control and slat transfer means and connected to said expanded first portion of said supporting means for maintaining the overall length of said expanded first portion of said supporting means constant irrespective of such shifting of part of said relatively contracted portion thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,223,010 Spradling NOV. 26, 1940 2,315,605 Ehrenfeld Apr. 6, 1943 2,603,285 Caligari July 15, 1952 2.604.158 Carpenter et al. July 22, 1952 

